


You Could Have Died- Herongraystairs

by herondick



Category: The Infernal Devices Series - Cassandra Clare, The Last Hours Series - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Cute, Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-27
Updated: 2020-09-27
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:53:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26680036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/herondick/pseuds/herondick
Summary: Set during "Through Blood, Through Fire" when Tessa almost dies.
Relationships: James Herondale/Tessa Gray, Jem Carstairs/Tessa Gray, Jem Carstairs/Will Herondale, Lucie Herondale/James Herondale, Lucie Herondale/Tessa Gray, Tessa Gray/Jem Carstairs, Will Herondale/Jem Carstairs, Will Herondale/Tessa Gray
Comments: 2
Kudos: 21





	You Could Have Died- Herongraystairs

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: all characters belong to Cassandra Clare.

The door closed softly behind Brother Enoch, leaving Jem and Tessa alone in the room. Jem leaned in, giving Tessa a kiss on her lips. “I thought I was going to lose you,” he said. He tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “Don’t scare me like that again.”

Tessa looked up at Jem through her thick lashes, her eyes shining. She longed to tell him what Brother Enoch had said, but now just wasn’t the right time. “You weren’t going to lose me,” she said with a soft laugh. “Besides, nearly dying keeps the marriage fresh.”

Jem rolled his eyes. He pulled her in closer to him on the bed, careful not to cause her too much pain. “There are so many other ways to keep the marriage fresh, Tessa.” He tightened his arms around her, breathing in her scent of lavender and rose water. “But, if you insist, I will go throw myself in front of a moving train.”

“James Carstairs,” Tessa replied, “don’t even think about it.” She snuggled in close to his side. This was the usual for them, this sort of loving bickering. She and Will had done the same, always giving each other a hard time, but in a playful sort of way. When James and Lucie had gotten old enough, they had joined in. Jem’s hand running through her hair brought her back into the present. “Can we sleep?” she asked, yawning as she did so. “I’m so tired.”

Jem chuckled softly. “Of course we can,” he said. He reached over and turned off the lamp that sat on the bedside table, casting the room in total darkness. Once he helped Tessa get comfortable under the heavy blankets, he crawled in himself, pulling her back close to him. He stayed awake until he knew she was asleep. He pressed a kiss to her hair, thankful that she had not been taken away from him, too. “Wǒ ài nǐ, Tessa,” he said. He closed his eyes, letting the sensation of sleep take over.

\---

A few hours later, three ghostly figures appeared in the small bedroom. They stood at the foot of the bed, watching Jem and Tessa sleep peacefully, wrapped up in each other’s arms.

The figures of Will, James, and Lucie stood together, hand in hand. They had been following Jem and Tessa, in their ghostly ways, ever since Tessa had been injured. Jem and Tessa didn’t know it, but this was a common occurrence, especially when one of them was knocking on death’s door. At first, it had just been Will. He had come to Jem’s side, though he had been Brother Zachariah then, when he had suffered a grave injury during one of the mundane world wars. Over time, though, James and Lucie had joined him, once their time on earth was over. Together, they had followed Jem and Tessa through the years, watching over them, giving them unknown strength when they needed it. They had been the quiet voices in the back of their minds telling them to run when they faced a danger they didn’t know, protecting them.

Will broke away first, walking over to Tessa’s side of the bed. He looked down at her, a smile breaking across his face. Death had not taken away his love for her, and it never would. “My Tessa,” he whispered, even though he knew she couldn’t hear him. “Will you ever stop putting yourself in these dangerous situations?” He gave a small laugh then. “No. Of course you won’t. That was one of the reasons Jem and I fell in love with you.”

Lucie sat down on the bed. She placed a hand on Tessa’s leg. “You could have died, Mam,” she said, looking at her mother with a soft expression. “You really came close to it this time. But we know what saved you.” She smiled then, her blue eyes dancing through the darkness.

James put a hand on his sister’s shoulder, tilting his head to the side slightly. “We can’t wait to see you be a mother again,” he said. He looked over at Jem then. “And to see Uncle Jem give it a go at fatherhood.”

Lucie giggled, looking up at James. “He was always so good with us,” she said, her voice full of nothing but adoration. “He will do great with the baby. Papa always said he was the best man he ever knew.”

Will smiled then. He lowered a hand down, running a finger lightly down Tessa’s cheek. Her eyes fluttered slightly in response. “That is right, Lulu,” he said. “The best man I ever knew. Besides, I will do what I can to help him.” He looked over at his children. “Being a parent isn’t easy, but you two know that.” James and Lucie knew. They had both been parents.

Lucie stood, walking over to stand beside her father. James followed her, standing on Will’s other side. She leaned down, pressing a kiss to Tessa’s forehead. “Goodbye for now, Mam. I will always be watching over you. I love you,” she said finally, straightening up and stepping back.

James reached a hand down, placing it over his mother’s. “Please stop almost dying,” he said, laughing softly. “It gives Father ghost anxiety, if that even exists.” He leaned down closer, running a hand along Tessa’s hair. “I love you always.” He stood, and joined Lucie where she was standing.

“Goodbye, Uncle Jem,” Lucie called. She grabbed James’s hand, and together, they disappeared from the room, leaving Will alone. They did this every time. They knew Will wanted to say goodbye in his own way.

Will sat down on the bed. He continued running his hand along Tessa’s face. “James is right. Every time one of you almost dies, I get very worried,” he said. “Don’t get me wrong,” he continued, “I look forward to the day when the both of you can join me, but I don’t want that to be too soon. You two have just started your lives together, and you deserve all the happiness in the world.” He ran his hand down Tessa’s body, laying it gently over her belly. “And you now have a new life to live for.”

He leaned his head down, hovering it above Tessa’s stomach. “Hello there, little one,” he said. “I cannot wait to watch you grow. Believe me when I say that you are getting the best parents imaginable. You will also have three guardians watching over you all your days.” Tessa’s hand came to rest over Will’s then. Will knew she could more than likely sense he was there, and his chest filled with joy. “Sleep well, my Tess,” he said as he stood up.

He walked over to Jem’s side of the bed, looking down at his parabatai. He ran a light hand along Jem’s hair and down his face, stopping for a moment when he got to his scarred cheek. “My brother, my parabatai,” Will said, his voice soft with emotion. “I am so proud of you, James. You have endured so much, and it gives me so much joy to see you finally get the happiness you deserve.” He indicated Tessa’s stomach. “And you are bringing a new life into the world. I will be by your side every step of the way, brother.”

Will stood for a few more moments, looking down at the two people he loved most in his life. More than anything, Will wished he could be with them. He wished he could wake in the morning, and have breakfast with Jem and Tessa. He longed to be able to sit with them and laugh, just like it had been a century and more ago. But those times were long gone, and Will had decided a long time ago that it didn’t do him any good to dwell on what could have been.

Will walked around the bed, and stood at the foot of it. He gazed down at the two sleeping figures. “One day,” he said, “I will be reunited with both of you. Until then, I will rejoice in seeing you two live happily, like you both deserve.” He leaned down, putting a hand on Jem and Tessa, letting them know he was there, that he would be with them always.

Without saying another word, he disappeared. There was no goodbye when he was with Jem and Tessa. He knew that one day, he would see them again. This was only a temporary parting.

A few moments later, Jem woke gasping. He sat up, looking around the room wildly. “Will?” he asked, his voice quiet. “Are you here?” Jem always knew when Will was around. He had always believed, since they were once parabatai, that he could sense his presence, even in death.

Tessa stirred, mumbling softly as she opened her beautiful gray eyes. “Jem?” she said, her voice still quiet from sleep. “Who are you talking to?”

Jem looked down at his wife. He laid back down and pulled her close, knowing she would understand. “I think Will was here,” he replied.

Tessa chuckled softly. “I have awoken many nights sensing his presence in the room,” she said. “I am beginning to think this is a game to him. You know how much he always liked to mess with us.”

Jem could only agree. “You’re right,” he murmured. “Messing with us from the grave is definitely something Will would do.” He pulled Tessa in closer, so he could feel her body against him. “Hopefully he doesn’t turn up in the bedroom often,” he said. “I’m sure there are some things he would not want to see.”

Tessa gasped softly. “Jem, go back to sleep,” she said. Her eyes had closed again, her breathing had slowed.

Jem cuddled in close to his wife, feeling content in knowing his parabatai had visited them, Will, he thought. My Will. I will see you again. One day. Jem closed his eyes, letting sleep take over, once again.


End file.
